


Isolation

by Maldita Apple (ZiggiStarr)



Category: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - All Media Types, Ever After High, Ever After High Series - Shannon Hale
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23709640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiggiStarr/pseuds/Maldita%20Apple
Summary: Mr. Bucket and Mrs. Bucket died in a car accident of strange circumstances. Charlie is devastated but tries to overcome the pain as best he can. Willy Wonka is very concerned about his young heir, who is still only a child. Everything is very confusing for the Candy Man since he will have to assume the role of his legal guardian. He didn't even have an idea of how to be a f-father...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Isolation

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago I wrote this little oneshot. I always found the fraternal relationship between Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket very interesting without escalating to sexual connotations. Since it does not seem necessary (or healthy :v) to me. Also I love the idea of Wonka trying to be a father figure when he does not feel empowered but circumstances led him to it.

Since the fateful day Charlie's parents had that car accident, something about him had been broken. From being a happy person, he was becoming a misfit. He had secluded himself in the Chocolate Factory, trying to flood his mind with everything Wonka could teach him. That did not take away the pain and he knew it very well, but at least for some periods he forgot that it was there.

Fatherhood was something new to Wonka, he had no idea how to be a father. Only that word generated a short circuit. Still, he knew it wasn't right that Charlie was isolating himself ... Seeing him in that state reminded him so much of himself when the wretches of Slugworth and Fickelgruber nearly caused their factory to fail. In addition to not having found his father, it was one of the most painful things he could have experienced.

Until now it was too difficult for Willy Wonka to trust human beings again and in fact he did not believe that he could return to being the same person as before. Because of this Wonka became a cold and insecure man, his ability to empathize or express his feelings was greatly impaired. Only he hadn't realized it while immersed in his loneliness.

He couldn't find the right words to comfort Charlie, didn't even have the delicacy to hug the boy. It was all so strange to him. Still, he was sure he didn't want Charlie to become as unfriendly as he was, he wouldn't allow it. For not being his son Wonka had a great appreciation for him. As his guardian he was willing to take responsibility for taking care of him as much as possible.

He was in his office reading a copy of Orbes magazine, with an espresso in hand. That month Wonka had been on the cover because he has just positioned himself as the second most successful CEO, just below the Snow White Queen. Since he hadn't been out in public for a few years, they used a somewhat old photograph of him.

Finishing doing that, he went to Charlie's room to see how he was doing. He knocked on the door, hoping he would open.

"May I come in? Wonka asked from the other side. He could no longer continue as if nothing happened. Charlie was slow to open, he wanted to be alone but he ended up agreeing anyway, he also did not consider it correct to be rude to the man who had given him a home among many other things.

"Ahead." He opened the door after hearing his little voice speaking as proper and courteous as he used to for his young age of thirteen. The boy looked bad, he was all haggard but compared to previous days he looked a little better.

"I am worried about you, Charlie." Wonka said, going straight to the point once he sat down on the edge of the bed right next to his heir.

"Thank you, but I'm fine, Mr. Wonka," he replied curtly trying not to sound rude.

"I'm serious," the man said firmly, "feel free to talk about anything." His young pupil just looked away. It seemed strange to him that Wonka was trying to have a more personal conversation.

"Mr. Wonka, with all due respect this is useless, no matter how much we talk, they will never come back," Charlie snapped in a sulky tone looking into his eyes. "Besides, why are you acting so strange? I thought you didn't care about anything other than candy." Willy Wonka's eyes widened, he knew the boy was right. He was stumped, it was the first time Charlie had said such an irreverent thing to him.

"Yes, you may be right." The man cleared his throat to recover his speech. "That was my motivation in this life." He took off the top hat he was wearing. "And I suppose it was until my death; Everything has a beginning and an end, Charlie. You and your family changed my way of thinking ... I know that nothing I say will make you feel better, or change things. You are the only one who can scatter those clouds in your mind, not everything will be gray forever, you know." Wonka reached out shakily for his heir and patted him on the back because he had no idea what to do. He considered himself out of bed ready to leave with what little dignity he had left after such a failure.

As he was about to cross the door Charlie ran after him before he left his room and hugged him from behind. Willy Wonka stiffened because he was not used to physical contact at all. He turned around and hugged him too. Charlie began to whine to end up crying like a baby in his arms. Wonka sighed with relief; that was a good sign. He had not shed a single tear, not even at the funeral. I was in a kind of shock.

"Don't worry, you're not alone ... At least I'm still here, Charlie. We can overcome it together..." 

The end?


End file.
